A Review of "The Truth of the Cross" by RC Sproul

I just got through reading a pdf of The Truth of the Cross by RC Sproul from Reformation Trust and Ligonier Ministries. As I prepare to review this book I think it is important for you to know a little about me. I am not what you would call very academic in how I explain a book or in what I usually read. Getting my MDIV seemed to have burned me out on the world of overly academic religious writings. While I respect these theologians and their writings, I would call myself a reviewer for the ordinary man. So with that here it goes:

The title of the book is what first caught my eye, "The Truth of the Cross". In a Christian culture were most books are really christianityfied self help books it is always refreshing to see a title that is not about self but about the cross. I can see myself in Sproul's place as he just looks at the wasteland of christian literature in the bookstore. With this first chapter he has me hooked. Sproul does a fantastic job in starting with a broad introduction to theology, giving a short but concise explanation of Augustinianism, Semi-Palagianism, and Palagianism. This allows the book to take off in a way that has the reader wanting to know more. Which is the most biblical of these theologies, where do I fit in this, are just a few questions I asked myself as I read. As broad a scope as Sproul paints in the beginning of the book, he steadily begins to shed man made theologies and show Biblical truth. As the book goes on Sproul easily takes theological terms such as atonement, substitution, ransom, and explains them in a simple and easy manner. A few great thoughts from this book are Sprouls theology of the baptism of Christ (p.73), a hard but true statement about sustitutionary atonement (p. 81), explanation of total depravity (chapter 6) and Chapter 8 would be worth the price of the book alone as Sproul shows our dependency of understanding Old Testament covenants to understand how secure our faith really is. But then chapter 9, limited atonement. This is the only chapter were I thought here it is your are either a 5 point Calvinist or a heretic and lost. Why do we have to label ourselves either Calvinist or Armenian? Do you have to be in the middle or one or the other, please just teach like you taught in the last 8 chapters. But even with that Sproul nails it when he states, "

"What if I say Jesus went to the cross to make an atonement for believers, and only for believers? In that statement,I declare that it was God’s design that Jesus should die not for everybody indiscriminately, but only for those who would believe. If you accept that, you see that only the elect are believers and that only believers are the elect. I’m not saying anything different when I say that Christ died only for the elect" (p.146)

What a defining statement! If we could all let go of our sides and see that if we let go of our "pet" words we would see we really have nothing to argue about. Overall this probably the best book I have ever read about the cross. I would recommend it for anyone from the pulpit to the pew.

Thanks to Reformation Trust and Ligioner Ministries for the pdf. If you are interested in reviewing some great books by pdf go to http://www.ligonier.org/publishing_reformationtrust_blog.php

God Bless

I Dont Feel Like IT

"We live in what one writer has called "age of sensation". We think that if we don't feel something there can be no authenticity in doing it. But the wisdom of God says something different, namely that we can act ourselves into a new way of feeling much quicker than we can feel ourselves into a new way of acting. Worship is an act which develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God which is expressed in an act of worship. "

Eugene Peterson: "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction", p.50

So the old saying, I don't feel called to do this, or I didn't feel like this was the time to share the Gospel just doesn't cut it. Forgive me Lord

"Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. " (Psalm 86:11, NASB95)

The Gospel With a 2yr old & Why Read The Puritans?

I have recently started reading John Owen's book The Glory of Christ. It is a very interesting book that solidifies the Puritan's high view of Christ. In everything that I have read by a Puritan, Jesus is exalted. I suppose that is why I like to read their stuff. While I would not agree with everything they teach it does my heart good to read from a group that gives Jesus more glory than culture, the church or even ourselves for that matter.

My 2 year old wanted me to tell him about what was in the book. I told him it was about Jesus, he then told me to tell him about Jesus. This allowed for a sweet time of telling my son about Jesus. We talked about sin and how we are all guilty of it even Nana and Mimi. He then said that he was too, this led to talking about God's holiness and the need for a payment for our sins. So we talked about Jesus and he told me that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins. It was really a sweet time for me and Noah. I pray that these lessons would plant a seed in his heart so that he may be sensitive to the Spirits leading, the Word's truth, and be saved by God's magnificent grace. Would you please pray for this also. (Also for Austin (1) and brother Elijah (due date August))

"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis 6:8, KJV)

I also found this post entitled "Why Read the Puritans" by Ligonier Ministries.

http://www.ligonier.org/publishing_solideogloria_whyreadpuritans.php

I would not consider myself reformed in the Calvinist sense but I really do enjoy the Puritans. So if your thoughts about Calvinism has scared you away from Puritan DON'T LET IT, ENJOY.

The Return of Christ

Growing up my Pop was my hero. I remember him coming home from work and I would be so excited because of his return. However there were times that I had gotten in trouble and heard those word's from my Momma, "just wait until your dad gets home". Those words never affected the love I had for my dad or his love for me, but it sure made me less excited his return.

Now little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.

1 John 2:28 (NASB)

Thanks to Bro. Randy for making me think!

Devotional Christian

A new web site is up that offers many daily devotions, The web-site is http://devotionalchristian.com/ One reason I am writing this post is because in doing so I could win up to $200 worth of books from wtsbooks.com. (And you can too just follow the directions on the web-site) The other reason is because this web-site gives the reader many different options in devotionals. From Lucado to Tozer and from Rodgers to Spurgon the reader has many different types and styles of devotions. An excellent resource for those of us who enjoy different devotions.

A Few Easter Concerns

A few thoughts have been going over and over in my mind in the last week or so.

What are we teaching the lost as well as the saved with how we celebrate Easter Sunday?
Even with that last sentence why is it only a special day?
Sure the catholic and protestant traditions have Holy Week, but what would happen if every Sunday were celebrated like Easter Sunday?
Why do we only put the resurrection on the forefront of our worship only once a year?
Why do our choirs prepare for one Sunday more than any other (besides maybe Christmas)?
Why do I feel like a bad parent when I don’t want to have an Easter basket waiting for my kids on Easter morning?
Is it any wonder why Christianity is not taken seriously?
Why will I have to explain this to my children?

Easter: originally a Saxon word (Eostre), denoting a goddess of the Saxons, in honour of whom sacrifices were offered about the time of the Passover. Hence the name came to be given to the festival of the Resurrection of Christ, which occured at the time of the Passover.[1]
Easton, M. (1996, c1897). Easton's Bible dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

I am not mad about Easter; our church is phenomenal week in and week out keeping Jesus as the center of everything. I am just a little leery of what the future holds for American Christians if we as the Body of Christ don’t take Jesus seriously.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11: 25-26 NASB

Isaiah 39

At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. Hezekiah was pleased, and showed them all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oil and his whole armory and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, "What did these men say, and from where have they come to you?" And Hezekiah said, "They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon." He said, "What have they seen in your house?" So Hezekiah answered, "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them." Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD of hosts, 'Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,' says the LORD. 'And some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away, and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.' " Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good." For he thought, "For there will be peace and truth in my days." Isaiah 39:1-8 (NASB95)

Things I have in Common With Hezekiah

1. All to Willing to Show What Others Will Be Impressed With

2. I Hear the Lord's Word but Just Don't Get It

3. Sometimes I Just Want Right Now To Be Good and I Don't Care About Tomorrow

Lessons I Can Learn From Hezekiah

1. God Has Given Me all I Have; So Brag About Him. He alone is Worthy

2. Meditate, Pay Attention To God's Word! HE is Talking

3. Make Tomorrow Better Than Today, Ground my Kids in Christ!